So many great tips in this thread - thank you!! I'm so unorganised but something that has helped me this year is using a calender to schedule everything in. Visually I like to see what is happening in the month and everytime I make an appointment, I write it straight in the calender.

I too have a cupboard in the laundry with swimming stuff so it's easy to grab on swimming days.

I also have designated areas for school bags that I empty every day and have sitting ready to go.

I don't make lunches the night before, don't meal plan or cook snacks in bulk and more often then not - have dirty dishes from the night before greeting me at breakfast 😧

Sometimes I'm in the supermarket twice a day (shameful!) - so I'm going to try to focus on all of these things in the new year. I have found since becoming a SAHP, I have become inefficient whereas when I worked part time and managed the kids I was so much more organised. Why is that?

Just my 2 cents on the last bit. There's been some rare times in the past when kids and me have been out all day until evening and I notice I've been better at keeping things in check those days... 2 reasons - 1 if kids aren't home to make a mess there is less mess and 2 when you are home with kids and house all day every day it can be much harder to keep motivated... Not everyone has that problem clearly but I can so remember a friend stopping work and suddenly complaining about all the housework! It can be very monotonous

When I mean scheduling I mean making sure its done. I don't mean I only wash dishes at 7.24pm. I just write 'dishes AM' and 'dishes PM' on my list of jobs.

No one shoot me but I think when you work outside the home PT or FT you 'have' to do jobs on certain days as you can't just wing it.

That's my theory.

Yep. I had to do certain tasks on certain days when working part time as i couldn't just put it off. I've kept up the same routine whilst on maternity leave, it's very easy when at home all the time to start procrastinating.

For those who write down their "to do" list daily, do you then go back that night and write down things that unexpectedly came up, such as "picked DS up from school at 11am due to tooth ache"? Do you then go back and look at the list another day to see what happened that day? Not sure if that makes sense lol.

For those who write down their "to do" list daily, do you then go back that night and write down things that unexpectedly came up, such as "picked DS up from school at 11am due to tooth ache"? Do you then go back and look at the list another day to see what happened that day? Not sure if that makes sense lol.

For me it doesn't matter what happens on that day, it gets done that day. Or I do it first thing the next morning. But either way they get done.

- kids clothes ready the night before. School bags packed. Shoes on the pile too. Drink bottles washed and filled.I don't have school aged kids but I have two kids in child care and this is a huge help.

- before I go to bed I do all the dishes and wipe down the bench. Waking up to a clean kitchen really is a great feeling. It also means you can start the day on a fresh note.

- I agree with abig clean out. The new year is a great start.

- I follow blogs like the 0rganised H0usewife. She has charts etc that you can print off for chores but you can easily make these yourself or Kmart has them.

Good luck

I do these things too and find they make a massive difference. Even if dog tired I try and get the kitchen clean, dishwasher on, clothes done for next day and lunches made. Sometimes I make some of my 2 year olds lunch for daycare in the morning like cut up fruit etc. but only takes a minute.

On days at home I love being lazy in the mornings but I find that it then runs into the rest of the day. On most days, I put a load of washing on first thing, do some cleaning and tidying for 40 mins or so while my toddler eats breakfast then we're ready for the day early on and I don't have to spend the whole day doing chores.

I just find if I write things down, I do them. Im addicted to my Erin Condren day planner and I have stamps for washing/cleaning and i mark those down. I schedule things I like buying birthday presents, buying my Ds new shoes, story time at the library, afternoons baking together. I just find I fit so much more into my week that I want to get done and we have more downtime.

I found a great meal planning pad of sheets that's magnetic and goes on my fridge. I think it's this one.

Tell us how you get organised.

Here's my kikki k lists on the fridge. The shopping list tears off. Since I started meal planning I find there's less wastage and forgetting about things in the cupboard/fridge. Plus if I have a few minutes in the morning I can start prepping so less to do when the newborn is fussing in the evenings. The to do list is non urgent things I get to when I have time during the day. ImageUploadedByThe Bub Hub1449087402.521675.jpgImageUploadedByThe Bub Hub1449087417.198985.jpg

My daily to do lists are in my diary.

Eta: there are heaps more lists I have floating around- present ideas for others, wish lists for things I want, logins and passwords, budgets and when bills due etc etc

I also use a weather app to look at the weather for the week and schedule washing sheets etc on sunny days and towels on rainy days (use dryer), plan freezer meals on hot days when I won't want to cook or use oven so less likely to put things off or not complete tasks

The Following User Says Thank You to Little Miss Sunshine For This Useful Post:

I have a standard monthly calendar, large enough to jot down what is happening on each date, then a more comprehensive weekly schedule that I print each Sunday & fill out the next week's events. We also have a chore chart for adults and a chore chart for the children. So if I feel a bit lost I can just have a look and check out the week ahead.

I also love this organiser I picked up for cheap at target. I put filling stuff in there, my diaries, mail to be opened, keys, nail clippers etc anything little I may lose or doesn't really have a place to go, keeps it tidy. ImageUploadedByThe Bub Hub1449089397.815882.jpg

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